Heroes for Advocacy - Creating Opportunities for Injured Police in Colombia

Colombian National Police Disabled Persons Organization
Chapter

The "Heroes for Advocacy" project aims to provide the best care and assistance to the disabled population of the Colombian National Police, especially to those officers who have been injured in the line of duty during eradication, interdiction, and rural security operations. With this initiative, the Polus Center seeks to improve the Colombian National Police’s capacity to support these heroes in their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Heroes for Advocacy addresses the re-education, employment, and rehabilitation needs of more than 350 members of the Colombian National Police injured in the line of duty during coca eradication, interdiction, and rural security operations. The Polus Center and its partners are helping the CNP build national rehabilitation services capacity and create clear alternative training opportunities and career pathways for injured police.

The Polus Center’s Service Coordination Model helps guide individual beneficiaries on how and where to access services that help disabled police access entitlements, benefits, and rehabilitation services, in addition to identifying their training and employment goals. The Polus Center's well-established landmine/explosive ordinance survivor programs using this model have supported hundreds of conflict survivors in Colombia (especially in Narino, Cauca, Caldas, and Antioquia); in Latin America (Peru, Nicaragua, Honduras), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Jordan.

Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Group photo of members of the Heroes for Advocacy project getting ready to begin a hand-cycling marathon in Colombia. CNP officer in uniform in center with other participants to his sides.
Cycling Race Gran Fondo El Reto Llanero 2021- One of the many cycling races held as part of the Heroes for Advocacy project where injured officers and others are able to compete using hand cycles